Subject: RE: Lonnie Donegan's guitarists..... From: Big Al Whittle Date: 13 Aug 06 - 01:03 PM Not sure I agree about skiffle not being of lasting worth. I still play those recordings quite often, and enjoy them. |
Subject: RE: Lonnie Donegan's guitarists..... From: Murray MacLeod Date: 13 Aug 06 - 11:42 AM I believe I would be the person singing Denny Wright's praises to whom Roger Rettig referred in his initial post. ( Incidentally Roger Rettig is himself one of the most eminent pedal steel players in Florida ). I am sure some of the contributors on this thread will be able to identify the guitarist playing behind Lonnie on this version of The Battle of New Orleans All I know is that it isn't Denny Wright. |
Subject: RE: Lonnie Donegan's guitarists..... From: Roger the Skiffler Date: 16 May 06 - 02:58 PM I agree Denny Wright was the best guitarist- played with other jazz greats of the era as well. Last one, still playing with the tribute show, was Paul Henry who was a teacher first and professional musician second. Les Bennets fitted the humourous "all round entertainer" period, and had his own group LKes Hobeaux later. Curry was more a rockabilly guitarist. Dickie Bishop is still playing with the likes of Lutz Eikelmann in Germany. RtS (but what do I know?) |
Subject: RE: Lonnie Donegan's guitarists..... From: Deckman Date: 14 May 06 - 10:33 PM Here's an odd question from a Yank. Does anyone know if the late ROY GUEST ever played with Lonnie Donegan? I ask that because I palled around with Roy when he was here in Seattle, Washington, USA, in the late fiftes. Just curious ... not trying to "creep the thread!" CHEERS, Bob(deckman)Nelson |
Subject: RE: Lonnie Donegan's guitarists..... From: Rasener Date: 14 May 06 - 04:47 PM Strollin', no problem with your grey matter http://www.paulbrettguitarist.co.uk/page2.html Bill Bramwell - what a wonderful webpage is this, absolutely fascinating. Can't find any reference to him being linked to Lonnie http://www.artists2events.co.uk/artists/CHASMcDEVITT.html And this http://www.whirligig-tv.co.uk/tv/memories/snippets/snippets43.htm |
Subject: RE: Lonnie Donegan's guitarists..... From: GUEST,jj Date: 14 May 06 - 04:12 PM on second thoughts, maybe bill bramwell only played with chas mcdevitt...still worth a mention though... anyone got the definitve info on this? |
Subject: RE: Lonnie Donegan's guitarists..... From: GUEST,jj Date: 14 May 06 - 03:49 PM why no mention of bill bramwell? probably the most fluent and warm soloist for donegan in the earlier years. denny wright was also in this same jazz influenced tradition.jimmy curry provided much more attack...the modern lead guitar style. les bennetts came along too late.....? the first two guitarists also worked in the tradition of amplified archtop guitar with its more acoustic feel, the latter two strapped on the gibson semis and rocked out a little more... |
Subject: RE: Lonnie Donegan's guitarists..... From: GUEST,Roger Rettig Date: 21 Mar 05 - 10:44 AM Thanks for the replies, everyone! Skiffle was, of course, a pretty fundamental music-form, but listening to it all again nearly fifty years later confirms my belief that Denny was a national treasure! Credit to Lonnie, though - he always kept a very good rhythm section, and he always swung! Denny Wright thrived in this musical climate. Jimmy Currie still lives in Spain, I believe - co-writing "I'll Never Fall In Love Again" with Donegan has, apparently, kept him pretty comfortably-off. I only met Denny myself in the early-'90s. Thames did a 'This Is Your Life' on Lonnie, and I attended the rehearsal serving as Lonnie's 'stand in'. I got to sing 'Rock Island Line' with Chris Barber on bass and Beryl Bryden on washboard(!), as well as sitting in the hot-seat answering Michael Aspel's 'questions'. A friend of mine had provided Thames TV with the correct guitar (a mid-'60s Martin 000-28 - kuedos to the TV folks for wanting to get THAT right!), so I was there to actually play it. Denny was there later, and I got to chat with him at the after-show party. Shortly after that, he and Lonnie had a reunion gig at the '100 Club' - Denny played his orange Gretsch 6120. I mention Les Bennetts because a friend in England just sent me a video of some 'Putting On The Donegan' clips - Lonnie is simply marvelous, but Bennetts almost turns the whole thing into musical comedy. I know this would have been appropriate with some of Lon's stuff, but not the serious material. Les comes over as a poor player imitating a good country player. The original drummer, Nick Nichols, is on some of the songs, and that magical 'swing' feel is consistent throughout the tape. I, too, played with Lonnie, but only twice - once on pedal-steel guitar (that was a corporate gig he did on a river-boat from Westminster Pier); it's now a very treasured memory! Roger R. |
Subject: RE: Lonnie Donegan's guitarists..... From: Richard Bridge Date: 21 Mar 05 - 08:42 AM Don't forget we have a member who used to play with Donegan although possibly when Donegan was with a jazz band of another. I think said member played tenor banjo in those days, but he is also a guitarist and subsequently played guitar with Dickie Bishop and the sidekicks. Step forward Slats. |
Subject: RE: Lonnie Donegan's guitarists..... From: BanjoRay Date: 21 Mar 05 - 07:03 AM I got to meet Denny Wright in Mexborough back in 1973 when he was touring with Stephan Grappelli and Diz Disley - what a superb combination, and one of the best night's jazz I've ever seen. A really nice guy. Talked about playing with Lonnie (when prompted by me) but didn't of course mention why he'd been sacked. Cheers Ray |
Subject: RE: Lonnie Donegan's guitarists..... From: Flash Company Date: 21 Mar 05 - 05:01 AM Hello Roger Rettig! I have to say I agree 100% with your assessment of Lonnie's guitarists. Denny Wright was great, and capable of producing amazing effects out of nothing, on one recording I seem to recall he played Bottle-neck guitar using a metal cigarette lighter as a a slide. Never rated Les Bennett, and found Jimmy Curry a great improvement. Where is he now? Anyone know? FC |
Subject: RE: Lonnie Donegan's guitarists..... From: Strollin' Johnny Date: 21 Mar 05 - 04:52 AM Didn't Paul Brett play with Lonnie for a period? (Or is me grey matter in worse condition than I think?) :0) |
Subject: RE: Lonnie Donegan's guitarists..... From: greg stephens Date: 21 Mar 05 - 02:31 AM Well, it may just be that life is more exciting when you are young, but I have to say that Denny Wright's solos and intors excited and inspired me, whereas the others totally passed me by. But I think by then I had moved on mentally to the blues and jazz greats, so maybe it was just me? Thpugh I have listened critically top a lot of skiffle recently, with the availabiity of so much old stuff on CD; and I think listening with my current aged and jaded ears, I havent felt the need to revise my judgements on this. Let's face it. skiffle was a fantastically powerful and liberating social movement. But artisistically it didnt produce that much lasting stuff(within the genre, that is, of course skifflers went on to higher things). Denny Wright stood out as a very high spot indeed. |
Subject: RE: Lonnie Donegan's guitarists..... From: Leadfingers Date: 20 Mar 05 - 09:09 PM All I would say is that having jammed with Denny Wright in his latter years ( when he was slowly dying of bowel cancer) he is one of the nicest men I have ever met , as well as being a superb guitarist . The rest of Donegans guitarists have not impinged on my life at all !! |
Subject: Lonnie Donegan's guitarists..... From: GUEST,Roger Rettig Date: 20 Mar 05 - 08:22 PM I've just re-read an old LD thread, and I noticed that someone was singing the praises of Lonnie's first guitarist, Denny Wright. Of course, I also think Denny was an exceptional player, and I learned a great deal from trying to ape his solos! He was arguably the best player in town back then, even though Lonnie had to 'let him go' due to his excessive drinking. But.... I also liked Jimmie Curry very much - he made an invaluable contribution to LD's sound. Here's where it gets controversial; does anyone out there agree that the third player, Les Bennetts, was a distinct set-back! I thought him crass and flashy compared to the frst two incumbents, and was sorry that it was Bennetts, not Wright or Curry, who got so much exposure through the 'Putting On The Donegan' TV shows. My thanks here to Donegan for inspiring me to become a musician - I've now been 'pro' since 1959! Roger R |
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